Motor vehicle



LSELEZ@ me., so., wm.

G. J. RACKHM MOTOR VEHICLE lim/Cento?" fg .Rdc/16m 4 Sheens-Sheec 5 Filed NOV.

Dec, 3Q. w24.

G. J. RACKHAM MOTOR VEHCLE;

Filed NOV. 50, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patent f nr asians errar arie.

GEOFLGE dDH-l?? RACKHA, 0F CHIGAG, ILLINOIS, ASSIEGNOB '10 YELLOW CQAGH MANU- EQ'URNG COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPOREIONOSF LILLIBTOIS.V

' MOTOR VEHICLE.

Application filed November 3A0, 1823. Serial No.' 677,597.

To all fro-fiom it may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE J. RAGKHAM, a subject of the King of' England, residing f'at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor Vehicles, oi which the tollowingl is a speci,A lication. This invention has to do with improve ments inrnotor vehicles. It has to do particularly with improvements in the driving `mechanism and the arrangement and posi- Itioning thereof with respect to the chassis andl body carried thereby. V

The invention has reference more par- Ltieularly texan arrangement of the driving mechanism which will make it possible to mount the body lower down than heretofore,

while at the same timemaintaining the nec-..

essary `clearance between the dierential housing, and other parts.

The invention relatesl more particularly to improvements in the construction of the chassis4 and mounting of the'` bodies .in suchmotor vehicles .as coaches and the like, which are oit' relatively large size, but` it willpresently appear that certainof the features are not necessarily limited to this type vo vehicle. vHowever, for `purposes of conveniencefin illustration and explanation, Iwill refer tothe features of the `invention as embodied withinthe construction of Y a motor cpaeh'.'

011e of the objects of the invention is to place theiengine and immediately' associated drivinglfmechanisni od center 1n the chassis sov as to bring the transmission control lever o center and close to one end of the front seat of v the vehicle. This will make it possible to place the driver at the 'extreme jendof the front seat and still bring the controls into position for convenient manipulation, without the necessity of specialr` connections. between the transmission lever and the transmission housing. ln other words, this will make itpossible vto use that ty e of transmission -control in which the lever extends directly upwards from the -gear box, and at .the same time bring said lever well over to `one/side of. the vehicle and into position for manipulation bythe driver located Aat the end of the' front seat.

Another object Aor the invention 1s to. place the dilerential housing 'closer to one side of the vehicle than the other, in other words, oft center.` Owing to the fact that this housing 1s of relatively large size the bottom of the body must! be so placed asA to give the necessary clearances at all times and notwithstanding the leXure 'of lthe springs. By placing the differential housmg to one side of the machine` it is possible to so design the body as to bring the side portion. ofxone of the seats 'directly above this housingi. This will make -it possible to' yallow theon line to be lowered considerably and stili provide the desiredolearance above the remaining portions of the rear axle. i Withy tigisjarrangement it also becomes possible to use a center aisle type of body construction and still make use of the4 lowered floor position, since the iioor ofthe aisle can be carried clear back and over the rear axle, the diierent-ialhousing being located to one side and beneath one of the seats.

nism oil' center is also related to the placing of the en'ine vand transmission housing ofi' center, sidce' it is desired to provide a practically straight line drive from-the transmission tytlie differential.

The 'placing of the differential inecha-v Furthermore, f

by placin "the drive shaft oft center and in I a direct li e between the engine and the diferential, Pthe universal joint, if any, in the drive-shaft, also` laced oit' center and can lie-accommodate Vbeneath one of the side 'seats"where additional clearance will be availa leand still make it possible to use the lowered floor level.

Other'objects an uses of the invention will appear from adetailed description ot the same, which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows aplan'view of a motor coach'embodying'the features of the present invention, the top portion'thereo belng removed, and shows by dotted lines, the osition of the engine transmiion, rive shaft, .differential and universal joint. Fig'. l illustrates the features of the invenclaimed.

tioi as applied to a center aisle type of con-V struction; P

Fig. 2 shows a .cross section taken on the line 2- -2 of Fig. 1, lookinzcr in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 shows a fragmentary lon itudinal section taken on the line 3 3 o Flg. 2,

l looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig, 4 shows a view similar to that of Fig. l with the exception that it illustrates the features of the invention as applied to a coach construction without center aisle; Fig. 5 shows a cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig..4, looking inthe direction of the arrows; and

"Fig, 6 shows a fragmentary section taken.

on the line 6-6 of ig. 5, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

'.reetly beneath onerof the seats 25.

-hetiveen the side seats.

from the transmission 4least amount of inter Referring first 'to the coach construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the body 7 is provided with the usual front wheels 8 and 9, front axle 10, rear' wheels 11 and l2, and rear axle 13.. The .construction shown in these figures is rovided witha series of relatively short-side seats 14'along one sidel and other side seats 15 along the other side, there being a center longitudinal aisle 16 Usually this aisle is located along the center of the vehicle.

17. The transmissionlS 1s placed at the rear end of the engine and the usual transmission control handle 19 'reaches upwardly housing. The steering wheel 20 is provided with the proper steering connections to the front wheels.

There is .also provided the differential housing 21 in the rear axle, the drive shaft '22 reaching'4 from the .transmission to the differential housing, and the universal joint 23 in the drive shaft. 1

According to the features of the present invention, place the engine, transmission, drive shaft. universal joint, and differential housing, ofi' center, so that these parts are carried'closer to one side of the chassis than the other. As a. result, the transmission con- 4trol handle 19 and steering wheel 20 are both broughtto a point where they are convenient of access tothe driver seated at the extreme end ot the front. seat 24. This makes it possible to place'the driver at the point where he will least interfere with 'the 'use of seat space'bythepassengers, and at and the additional amount of clearance necessary for the differential housing is provided by reason of the fact that the same The engine is shown'diagrammatically at.

is placed under the rear seat 25. Inasmuch as this differential housing and rear seat are located off center, the center aisle may be carried clear back and over the rear axle at thkel relatively low elevation'thus made poss1 e.

Inasmuch as both the en ine and differential housing are located of? center the drive shaft 22 and universal joint 23 may also be placed off center and to one side of the position of the center aisle. This makes it pos sible to place the universal joint 23 beneath the position of one of the side seats 26, so that the additional clearance, if any, necessary for the universal joint can be secured without having to raise the floor level of the aisleor the floor level between the seats.

A suitable bracket 27 may be carried by i' one of the cross frame members 28 in order to support the drive shaft at a point immediately behind the osition of the universal joint 23, as clearly s own in Fig. 5.

n the modified construction shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the center aisleis dispensed with and each of the seats is carried the full width of the body. With this type of construction .suitable side doors should be provided all of which is according to standard coach practice,- and for this reason is not illustrated in detail. i i

It will be noted, however, that in the modified construction of Figs. 4, 5 and G, thel engine, transmission, drive shaft, universal joint, and differential housing are all located off center asin the previous arrangement.

In connection with both types of construction,'I have also illustrateda central longi-' tudinally extending frame member 29 which reaches along the full length of the body beneath the center aisle. v-By placing the parts ofi1 center ample clearance is provided for this frame member 29, so'that the strength and stiffness 0f the body are greatly im` proved. V

In theparticular constructions illustrated in the drawings ofthis .case I have shown the transmission as being" a unit with, the engine and placed directly. behind the-euV gine, so that ythe control post 19 reaches directly up from the transmission to apoint convenient for the operator.

template as being within the scope of my invention any arrangement in *which the` a bacia. and is located under one of the seats sol as. tog. give the necessary clearance without hazv`l`- transmission is placed further ing to raise the floor level. In. such case the transmlssionwould be connected to the control' post 19 by-meansofsuitable links' or other connections.

Attention is a1socal1ed tothe. fact. thatf.v

.inthe particular construction illustrated the differential ring gear islocated at-the left;v l side of thedifferential pinion. (when fac 'i ing forward in the vehiclejy this'being teenies standard construction so as to give forward drive with the propeller. shaft turning in the same direction as the engine. Under the circumstances, the largest diameterof 5 the differential housing is located to the left of the center line of the drive shaft 22, all of which is clearly evidentrfroni'examination of Figs. 1 and 4. This being the case, it is possible to bring the maximum 10 diameter Aof the-ditlerential housing `under place the engine and drive shaft as fer oit center of the vehicle as vvould otherwise be While I have herein shown and described only certain. embodiments of the featuresot my present invention, still l do not intend to .limit myself to the same, except as l may do so in the claims.

I cla-im:

l. In a motor vehicle, the combination of n chassis including front steering wheels and rear driving wheels, of an engine mounted in the front portion of the chassis 25' tothe left side of the centerline thereof,

-said enginehaving a normal direction of rotation-in a clockwise direction when looking at .the front of the vehicle, a transmis-V sion unit at'th rear end 'of the engine and substantially in line therewith, a control handle reaching upwardly-from said transmission unit at the left side of the center line of the vehicle, a steering wheel located in close proximity to the transmission `'com trol handle aforesaid, a diticrential pot in the rearaxle located to the lett side of l the center line of the vehicle and substantially in line with the engine and transmis sion aforesaid, a drive shaft reaching dii0l rectly from the transmission to' the diiierential pot, a universal joint in said drive shaft, both the drive'shaftand universal joint being located in line with the engine, transmission, and differential' pot, and a body mounted upon the chassis and including cross 4seats one of which is located directly above the diierontial pot and another directly above the universal joint, and another of which seats is located at the left mission control handle and steering wheel, a longitudinally extending body :trarne member beneath the center line of the' body, and a oor for the central portion of the body and between the seats, Whcrebysaid :door may be placed `at a relatively low elevation, the differential pot and universal joint being accommodated beneath the seats afer said, and whereby the transmission control handle and steering wheel may be brought adjacent to the left end of the front seat aforesaid, 'substantially as described.

2. In a motor vehicle, the combination .of a chassis including iront steeringwheels and rear driving,l Wheels, of an engine side of the vehicle in proximity to the transtransmission unit at the rear end ol' the engine and substantiallj,T in line therewith, a control handle reaching upwardly from Wheel located in close'proxiinity to the trans- V:mission control handle aforesaid, a differential pot in the renrexle located to the left side of the center line Vot the vehicle and substantially in line with vthe engine and transmission aforesaid, a drive sha'ft reaching directly from the transmission io the diiierential pot, a universal joint in said drive shaft, both the drive shaft and uni-` rversa] joint being located in line with the engine, transmission, and dili'erential pot,

and a hbdy mounted upon the chassis and including cross seats one of which is located directly above the differential pot, and another ci which seats is located in proximity to the transmission control handle and steering Wheel, a longitudinallyr extending body` frame member beneath the center line of the body, and a iicor for the central portion of the body and between the seats, whereby said floor may be placed at a relatively low elevation, the diiierential pot being accommodated beneath the scat nforcsaid, and whereby the transmission control handle and steering Wheel may he brought adjacent to 4the end ofthe' leit 'front seat .ztoresaid, substantially as described.

3'. n motor vehicle, the combination of a chassis including iront steering wheels and rear driving' Wheels, of an engine mounted in the front portion of the chassis to one side of' the center line thereof, a transmission unit at the rear end ot the engine and substantialiy in line therewith, ucontrol handle reachingi upwardly troni said/f transmission unit at one side ot 'the center line ot' the vehicle, steering wheel iocated in close proximity to the transmission control handle aforesaid, a diiierential pot in the rear axle located to the saine side of the center line of 'the vehicle and substantially in line with the engine and transmission aforesaid, drive ff directly troni the trans .miss ntial pot, a universal .in said drive shaft, both the drive shaft and universal 'joint being located in iine with said transmission unit at the left side orv 'the center line ot the vehicle, a steering one of the rear seats Without having tof" proximity to the transmission control handle and stceri 11gr wheel, and. a licor for the centrai oortion of the bodv and 7eetvvee the seats, whereby said iioor may he placed at a relatively low elevation, the differential pot being accommodated beneath `the seat aforesaid, and wherebyv the transmission control handle and steering wheel may be brought adjacent to the end of the front seat aforesaid, substantially as described.'

4:. In, a motor vehicle, the combination of a chassis including front steeringv wheels and rear driving wheels, of an engine mounted in the front portion of the chassis to one side of the center line thereof, a differential pot in the rear axlelocated to the saine side of the center line of the vehicle and substantially in line with the engine'aforesaid, n drive shalt reaching between the dii'erential pot. and the engine, a universal joint in the drive shaft, and a body mounted upon the chassis and including cross seats one of which is located directly above the differential pot and another of which seats is located 'above the universal joint, and a floor for the central portion of the body and between the seats, whereby said floor may be` placed ata relatively low elevation, the differential pot being accommodated beneath one seat and the universal joint beneath another seat, substantially as described.

5. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a chassis including front steering wheels and rear driving Wheels, of an engine n'lounted in the front portion of the chassis to one side of the center line thereof, a differential portion of the body and between the seats,

whereby said floor will be placed at a, relatively low elevation, the differential pot being accommodatedbeneath one seat, substantially' as described.

6. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a chassis including front ,steering wheels and rear driving wheels, of an engine mounted in theI front portion of the chassis to one side of the center vline thereof, a transmis,

sion unit at the rear end of the engine and substantially in line therewith, a control handle reaching upwardly from the transmission unit at the same side of the center line of the vehicle, a steering wheel located in closev proximity to the transmission control handle,aforesaichlainl a body mounted upon the'chassis and including a front cross seat,the end of which is located in proximityY to the transmission control handle and steering wheel, whereby the transmission control -handle and steering wheel may be brought adjacent to the end of said front seat, sub'- stantially as described.

`GrEORGrE JOHN RAGKHAM. 

